Consoling a Friend
by Punk With The Hat
Summary: Hollyleaf finds Breezepelt on ThunderClan territory, and he's there for no apparent reason. Or so he says... HollyxBreeze oneshot. Srry 4 earlier confusion.


It was sunhigh. Hollyleaf, a glossy black she-cat with emerald eyes, padded toward the lake. No wind disturbed its surface; the water looked like a sheet of the clearest silvery-blue. Hollyleaf had gone out hunting earlier, but prey was so plentiful this Greenleaf that she practically tripped over it. She had caught more than enough for her Clan. Now she padded along the lakeside, staying on the grass.

But the peacefulness didn't last very long. Hollyleaf soon spotted the figure of a different cat a few mouse-lengths away. It looked so much like Hollyleaf that it could almost pass as her reflection. But no. This cat was slightly taller than Hollyleaf, and carried a scent that was definitely familiar but nonetheless hostile.

The scent of WindClan.

"Hello Breezepaw," said Hollyleaf curtly. She knew this cat from past experience.

The other cat sneered. "I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that. The name's Breeze_pelt_ now."

"Well, excuse me," retorted Hollyleaf, "I didn't know."

Breezepelt snorted. "Aren't you supposed to be a mind reader or something?"

Hollyleaf shook her head. "You're thinking of _Jayfeather_, genius."

"Then what _is_ your power?" asked Breezepelt. "Nagging or being a bossy-pelt?"

"That's better than being a _Breeze_pelt."

"Not cool."

"Just get off our territory."

Breezepelt took a step back. Now he was directly on the other side of the territorial scent marks.

"I'm not _in_ your territory," he said. Then he stepped forward. "Now I am." He leaped back. "Now I'm not."

Hollyleaf placed herself in a position where Breezepelt couldn't step forward again. He was so agitating sometimes.

"Please stop that."

Breezepelt rolled his eyes. "You're no fun."

"Sorry," replied Hollyleaf sarcastically.

The tomcat shook his head and muttered, "Brat."

"I heard that."

"That's the whole point."

Hollyleaf sighed. "Why did you come here, anyway?"

Breezepelt suddenly turned serious. "No reason," he said.

"Tell me."

The serious expression turned into annoyance. "Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay? If you want me to leave, I will." Breezepelt turned and began to stomp away.

"Wait!" Hollyleaf called, almost automatically.

Breezepelt turned. "What?"

She tried to sound casual about it as she said, "I won't let you go back until you tell me what's wrong."

"You send so many mixed signals." But he padded back to Hollyleaf anyway. Breezepelt made sure he was still in his territory and then laid down. For a second green met green and Hollyleaf saw grief and loneliness mixed with fury glinting in his eyes.

"Nightcloud is dead," Breezepelt announced, his voice cracking. "I have _nothing _now. I'm all alone."

"Oh," was all Hollyleaf could say. Nightcloud was Breezepelt's mother. Of course it would be devastating. And given Breezepelt's relationship with his father…

"What will I do?" he could barely be audible now. All traces of the cocky and over-confident young warrior from earlier were gone. "My mother is gone, Crowfeather doesn't speak to me at all anymore, and none of my Clanmates care a thing about me. I have nothing," Breezepelt repeated.

Hollyleaf sat in silence for what felt like seasons. Finally she said, "You're wrong," she said. "You do have something. It probably won't help much, but you still have one thing."

"And what is that thing, exactly?"

Hollyleaf took a breath. She couldn't believe she was saying this, but when the word spilled out of her mouth it felt so right.

"Me."

Breezepelt looked up again. And now when Hollyleaf looked into his eyes they looked a little less sad, a little less angry, and a little less lonely.

"Thanks," he managed to get out. "That helps a lot more than you know."

"Not a problem," she replied. "Breezepelt."

The WindClan warrior turned and started to pad back home again. Hollyleaf watched as his retreating figure grew smaller and finally disappeared.


End file.
